2003

The Supreme Court ruled 5–4 in Grutter v. Bollinger that race could be considered as one factor among many in law school admissions to achieve educational diversity, upholding the University of Michigan Law School's holistic review. The same day, in Gratz v. Bollinger, the Court struck down the undergraduate point-based system. Together the rulings preserved but narrowed affirmative action, with Justice O'Connor writing that she expected race-conscious admissions would not be needed in 25 years.

The Supreme Court ruled 5-4 in Grutter v. Bollinger that race could be considered holistically in law school admissions for educational diversity. The same day, Gratz v. Bollinger struck down Michigan's undergraduate point system. Together the rulings preserved but narrowed affirmative action.

Mossville, Louisiana — a historically Black freedmen's community founded in the 1790s — was surrounded by 14 petrochemical and industrial plants. A 2003 study by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry found dioxin levels in Mossville residents' blood three times the national average. Residents experienced elevated rates of cancer, diabetes, and respiratory illness. The EPA declined to declare Mossville a Superfund site despite petitions from the Louisiana Environmental Action Netwo

The NYPD Demographics Unit — revealed publicly by AP reporters in 2011 but operational from 2003 — infiltrated Black Muslim mosques, student associations at New York-area universities, and businesses with no criminal predicate. The unit mapped Muslim communities and compiled secret files. Black Muslims were doubly targeted: surveilled as both Muslim and as part of NYPD's legacy targeting of Black political and religious life.

The NYPD Demographics Unit — operational from 2003, exposed by AP in 2011 — infiltrated Black Muslim mosques and student groups with no criminal predicate. Black Muslims were doubly targeted: surveilled as Muslim and under NYPD's legacy targeting of Black political and religious life.

NYPD stop-and-frisk encounters rose from roughly 97,000 in 2002 to 508,540 in 2006 under Commissioner Ray Kelly. NYPD data showed 85–90% of those stopped were Black or Latino; over 88% were found innocent of any wrongdoing. The Center for Constitutional Rights filed Floyd v. City of New York in 2008, documenting the racial disparity and arguing the program violated the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments.

NYPD data released through ACLU litigation showed that in 2003, 82 percent of all stop-and-frisk encounters involved Black or Latino individuals, with the vast majority found innocent. The data documented that Black men aged 14 to 24 were stopped more times than there were Black men of that age in New York City.

NYPD data released through ACLU litigation revealed that in 2003, 82 percent of all stop-and-frisk encounters involved Black or Latino individuals, with the overwhelming majority found innocent. The data established the racial scope of what would become Bloomberg's signature policing policy. The ACLU's analysis documented that Black men between 14 and 24 were stopped more times than there were Black men of that age in the city.

Alberta Spruill, 57, a city employee, died of a heart attack after NYPD officers detonated a flash-bang grenade and broke down the door of her Harlem apartment. Police had acted on a faulty tip; the apartment was the wrong address. The city settled with her estate. The case prompted New York to reform no-knock warrant procedures.

NYPD officers conducted a no-knock raid on the Harlem apartment of Alberta Spruill, 57, a city employee, after acting on a faulty informant tip. Officers detonated a flashbang grenade; Spruill, who had a heart condition, died of cardiac arrest. Her apartment was the wrong address. The city paid her family $1.6 million. The case prompted a City Council review of no-knock warrant procedures.

NYPD officer Bryan Conroy shot and killed Ousmane Zongo, 43, a Burkinabe immigrant and art restorer, four times in the back during a DVD counterfeit raid in a Chelsea storage facility. Zongo had no connection to the raid's target. Conroy was convicted of criminally negligent homicide — one of the rare NYPD convictions — and sentenced to five years' probation.

Ousmane Zongo, 43, a Burkinabe immigrant and art restorer, was shot four times and killed by an undercover NYPD officer during a raid on a Chelsea storage facility targeting CD counterfeiters. Zongo had no connection to the suspects. Officer Bryan Conroy was convicted of criminally negligent homicide — one of the few NYPD officers convicted in an on-duty shooting.